chapter 2
1560 Words
Sweat pooled on her forehead as she jerked upright, her body trembled as her palm moved in frantic circles over her clammy skin. Her chest rose and fell with shallow, rapid breaths as she struggled to steady her pulse.
“It was just a dream. It wasn’t real,” she whispered, over and over, the words falling from her lips like a broken record, fragile and trembling.
A throat cleared from across the room.
Lorelai flinched, her eyes darting to the far end where Freya sat silently on the soft velvet sofa, legs crossed, watching her with piercing focus.
“Ahhh—s**t!” Lorelai shot up fully, panic lacing her voice. “What the hell are you doing here, Freya?” Her tone was hoarse, edged with confusion and fear.
Freya stood slowly, almost deliberately, her steps unhurried as she approached. The bed dipped as she sank into it, her eyes never leaving Lorelai’s, dark and unreadable.
That look made Lorelai’s stomach twist. She reached behind her neck, rubbing it like she could calm the unease building in her spine.
“What’s with the creepy-ass stare?” she asked, trying to sound firm, but the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her.
“What was the nightmare about this time?” Freya asked coolly, still locking eyes with her like she was trying to read her thoughts.
Lorelai sighed sharply, stepping toward the bathroom, trying to escape the weight of the conversation.
“Freya, it’s too early for this. Just let me be,” she muttered.
But then Freya laughed—a wild, unhinged sound that froze Lorelai mid-step.
“Oh, come on, Lori… nightmares at 3 p.m.? Who the hell does that?”
“3pm?” Lorelai echoed under her breath, blinking in disbelief. “No freaking way…”
“f**k!” she cursed, dragging a hand down her face.
“Just that?” Freya quipped, tilting her head, her voice dripping with mockery.
“Arghhh, Freya, what now?” Lorelai grumbled, already bracing for another unsolicited lecture.
“You know why you keep having these shitty nightmares, Lori?” Freya fired back, not even pausing for a reply. “It’s ‘cause you refuse to freaking live. You lock yourself up in this damn room all day, and then boom, crazy-ass dreams come crawling in.”
Lorelai spun on her heel to face her. “Freya…” she drawled, slapping a tired palm to her forehead. “Not this again.”
“Oh, it ‘is’ this again.” Freya rose from the bed and strutted toward her. “One of these days, you might just sink so deep into this mattress you’ll become one with it and honestly, that’s a hideous way to die, if you'd ask me.”
“Freya!” Lorelai groaned moving lazily and , flopping back onto the bed with a dramatic sigh, throwing her an exhausted look.
“What?” Freya said, shameless and unbothered.
“This about the club? The one you’ve been begging me to go to since last week?”
“This is about everything, Lori—not just the club,” Freya snapped. “I’ve tried literally everything. I’ve rolled up my sleeves to drag you out of this shell, to help you spread those beautiful wings of yours. But no, every damn time, it’s always the same flimsy excuses, oh come on!”
She gestured wildly in the air, her frustration seeping through every movement.
“If it’s not, ‘Oh Freya, I’ve got work to do,’ then it’s, ‘I need to sleep in, I’m exhausted,’ or the classic, ‘I’m on my period and won’t be able to go out in days.’ Jesus Christ, Lori, do you actually want to die a boring-ass woman?” Her voice was loud now, riding the edge of a rant.
Lorelai exhaled deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Freya, there’s a *lot* I could do for fun, you know? Skydiving, swimming in shark-infested waters, mountain climbing—hell, anything that might set my life on fire for once. Not... going to some dumb-ass club to watch weird psychos strip on poles.”
Freya gasped in mock horror, clutching her chest dramatically. “And there goes all my efforts, down the drain.”
“You’re overreacting, Freya,” Lorelai said dismissively as she rose from the bed. “I’ll be in the shower. Is there anything up for lunch?”
For a moment, silence fell over the room, so still it almost felt like she was suddenly alone. But as she turned back, she met Freya’s piercing gaze still locked on her.
Just as she opened her mouth to say something, Freya cut in first.
“What was the nightmare about?” she asked, her voice gentler now, her features softening.
Lorelai paused, hesitating for a brief second before letting out a long, dramatic sigh.
“It’s Ryder,” she said quietly, her jaw tightening as flashes of the nightmare rushed back like a violent wave.
Freya leaned in slightly, her expression concerned. “Same old s**t? Just last night, it was Ryder being tied over a fire place, now what”?
Lorelai sighed deeply.
“I… I can’t really piece it all together,” Lorelai murmured, her brows furrowed. “But I think he’s caught up in something, a mess, maybe, or something serious. I just… can’t put my finger on it.”
“Hmmm.” Lorelai’s thoughts tangled for a moment, her gaze distant.
“Maybe you’re just overthinking it,” Freya said, leaning back with a smile.. “C’mon, Ryder’s fine. He’s a big boy, and he’s doing so well taking care of you, like an older brother should, you should be grateful for that. I’m sure he’s fine.”
“Right…” Lorelai murmured, her tone soft, almost uncertain. She tried to convince herself as much as she tried to convince Freya. Maybe it really was just in her head.
Freya grinned, that mischievous glint lighting up her eyes. “Yeah… and tell you what, a nice time at Chameleon would do you some good. You know, seeing those hot-ass men? I bet they’ll be blessed to have someone as gorgeous as you walk in.”
Her voice dipped into that teasing lilt she always used when she wanted something, playful, persuasive and impossible to ignore.
“That's not happening”. Lorelai said uninterested.
“Urghh…you’re such a party bummer! Come on, just this once, it’s gonna be fun, I promise”.
Lorelai’s eyes rolled. “That’s exactly what you said last year. Remember that stupid birthday bash? Yeah, the one where I almost got gang r***d by a bunch of creeps.”
Her friend froze, eyes wide, mouth opening but no words came out.
“Yeah, thought so,” Lorelai went on, her voice cracking. “You don’t have anything to say now, do you?”
“Lori…look, I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t know that would happen. You know I’d never let something like that happen to you on purpose.”
“Sure,” Lorelai muttered, shaking her head. “You’re so full of promises.”
“I promise, this is different, Lori. It’s more secure and safe, even. And it’s classier too.”
“Okay, so?”
“C’mon, Lori, you’re making this harder than it is, pretty please, just this once?” Freya pleaded, her voice softening into that tone she swore no one could resist,her eyes were wide and glimmering with fake innocence.
Lorelai tried to hold her ground, but those damn eyes worked like a spell, cracking the stone wall she’d built around her.
She sighed. “Even if I wanted to go, I don’t think I have anything eye-catching to wear. All my dresses are corporate. I can’t exactly wear that to a club.”
Freya’s face lit up like a spark catching fire. “Say no more.”
Before Lorelai could protest, she darted to her closet, rummaged for a second, and pulled out a deep velvet dress. With a triumphant grin, she shoved it in Lori’s face. “This should do.”
“I’m not putting that on. It’s too revealing and I don’t want that kind of attention.”
“Arghhh!” Freya groaned dramatically, dragging her hand down her face. “f*****g hell, Lori! This dress is perfect! You haven’t even tried it on since we got it. C’mon, it’s the dress for tonight.”
Lorelai hesitated, weighing her options. She knew Freya wouldn’t stop until she got a yes.
“Fine,” she muttered. “Just this once.”
Freya squealed, racing toward her and throwing her arms around Lorelai’s neck.
“Eww, Freya, don’t be gross.” Lorelai grimaced, trying to wriggle out of her grip.
“I’ll take that,” Freya teased, laughing. “At least you’ll finally get to work that boring ass of yours.”
Lorelai rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips despite herself.
Freya winked, her grin mischievous. “We’re gonna show those dweebs what we’re made of tonight.”
Lorelai laughed softly, heading towards the bathroom, but she froze mid step as her gaze flicked to the window. Across the street, a man stood motionless , eyes fixed right on her window.
And when she blinked, he was gone.
- Writer
